Postman awarded €55,000 after dog attack

A postman who was knocked to the ground and attacked by a husky-type dog has been awarded €55,000 damages by the High Court.

Joseph Dunne was delivering letters to a mail box outside a house in Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, when he was knocked over with great force and bitten about the face, requiring 22 stitches and resulting in scarring.

In his judgment on Mr Dunne’s case yesterday, Mr Justice Michael Moriarty said Mr Dunne had returned to work at a commendably early stage after what was a “particularly frightening” incident. The dog, described by the judge as a “white husky-type”, was put down the day after the attack.

Mr Dunne (63), St Mary’s Avenue, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, had sued the owners of the house, Olive Dalton and Martin Maher, Dublin Road, Kilbeggan, as a result of the incident.

It was claimed, while Mr Dunne was delivering post to the mailbox outside the gate of the house at Dublin Road on October 8th, 2008, he was suddenly and without warning attacked by the dog owned by either Ms Dalton or Mr Maher.

It was claimed Ms Dalton and Mr Maher were negligent and failed to warn of the dangers of attempting to deliver post at their property.